Steve Smith headed for an MRI Monday

Posted by Josh Alper on December 22, 2013, 5:13 PM EST

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The Panthers pulled out a thrilling win over the Saints on Sunday and they did it without wide receiver Steve Smith’s help.

Smith was forced out of the game with a knee injury in the first half and did not return to the 17-13 victory. A league source tells PFT that the team does not believe the injury is a drastic one, but the Panthers will get more of an idea about the severity of his injury on Monday.

Steve Reed of the Associated Press reports that Smith said he felt something pop and that he will start the week with an MRI to provide more information about his injury. Reed also reports that Smith was not using crutches, although it sounds like he might still be icing up this evening.

The Panthers are headed to the playoffs and having a healthy Smith will be essential to their ability to spend an extended period of time there, which means there will be some nerves in Charlotte until the results of Monday’s MRI are known.

Hatters gonna hate, any garbage bucs fan would love to have smitty apart of there organization. You’re just mad that no one has that fire in them, go be a dolphins fan

petehemlock says:Dec 22, 2013 6:03 PM

OK people, enough of ‘that said’.

detectivejimmymcnulty says:Dec 22, 2013 6:05 PM

The Panthers are a threat with or without Smith. He’s not what he once was, and as the Giants have shown twice if you have a D-line that can domiante a game it makes up for what you don’t have. Carolina and SF are the only two teams that could go into Seattle come playoff time and give them a tough game.

Smithy is Cam’s “blankey”. LaFell and Ginn both had passes hit them in the hand in the first half that they could have caught with some amount of effort but didn’t. Smith will at least try, even though he’s 5’9″. I don’t always buy his act but he is a pro.

Would be a huge blow for sure …and man 89 is the heart and soul of this franchise and to see him, at 33, maybe out for the rest of the season…hurt during the playoff clinching game… For his sake, I Really hope it ends up being better than expected. But what a huge win today Panther Nation!!!

thegreatsantini56 says:Dec 22, 2013 8:05 PM

I think the the meniscus guess is right. I also think that the folks here that wish Steve ill will are fans of other teams that got all butt-hurt because he broke their hearts at one time or another. But it could also be that they are nothing more than Trolls just looking to bring Panther Nation down. Keep pounding.

I don’t know if Steve will make it to The Hall, since it is more of a national consensus. But I do expect a statue of him at the stadium at some point after he retires Jerry Richardson. Get well soon Steve, and we have your back always.

Granted Smitty has had his share of bad moments throughout his career. But anyone who lives in Charlotte or the surrounding area knows that when he is off the field, he is class upon class. He and his family do a ton of charity work and I have seen him out and about several times and he is always gracious and humble. I doubt that he has ever turned anyone down for an autograph or a picture. He is an asset here in Charlotte and I hope that when he retires he and his family remain here. He is already doing some radio work on the local sports talk radio station so I can almost guarantee that he’ll be apart of a radio show once he is done with football. I just wish all the haters knew what they were talking about………